


Let Sleeping Cats Lie

by endlessnepenthe



Series: Head and Shoulders, Paws and Tail [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Scent Marking, Shapeshifting, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:00:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22042186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endlessnepenthe/pseuds/endlessnepenthe
Summary: “Dean…?”“Yeah.” Dean folds himself down onto his toes, tilting his head to one side. “What’re you doing on the floor—”A deep grumbling growl interrupts.“You woke ‘im up,” Sam mumbles, smiling lazily when a black tail twines halfway around his thigh, the very end flicking from side to side.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Gabriel/Sam Winchester
Series: Head and Shoulders, Paws and Tail [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621105
Comments: 3
Kudos: 115





	Let Sleeping Cats Lie

_“Sam?”_

“Hey Dean.”

_“What’s up? Somethin’ happen?”_

“Just wanted to visit; see you ‘n Cas, maybe stay over for the weekend…”

_“Oh! Yeah, sounds good. I’m out doin’ some shopping right now but you can let yourself in — spare’s under the flowerpot.”_

“Is Cas also out? I can—”

_“Nah, he’s home. But do not disturb, okay? He hasn’t been sleeping well, past few days.”_

“...Oh.”

 _“Yeah. Been rough.”_ His voice fades a little, going slightly more distant and muffled — “ _Sorry, excuse me.”_ — before returning. Sam finds himself absolutely endeared by the idea of Dean pressing his phone to his chest, protective, as he squeezes by someone in a store aisle, shopping basket handles tucked into the bend of his elbow. _“‘m sure he’ll be glad to see you, though.”_

“If it’s not a good time, I could always—”

_“Hey. It’s fine! I’ll be back soon anyway, you won’t be bored for too long. Expectin’ ya, bitch.”_

“Fine, jerk. See you soon.”

He receives a soft hum in return, the sound carrying a distinctly happy note.

\---

It takes Sam a solid minute to find the key he’d been informed of, mildly anxious about the thought of looking like he was someone trying to break into the house. It isn’t really a flowerpot — why didn’t his jerk of a brother tell him he’d be looking under a decent sized _tree_ in a pot — and he has to balance it against his leg and chest in order to get under it, folded into a crouch on the front porch.

He drags his hand across the bottom, face turned away to avoid being slapped by vibrant green leaves. Sam searches with increasing frustration, until his fingers brush the solid cold edge of something metal.

Tearing the taped key off, Sam gently sets the plant back down. He moves carefully, attempting to maintain a delicate balance between just-loud-enough-to-be-normal and silent, hoping he wouldn’t startle Castiel with any worries of a possible break in.

Pushing the lock shut on the door behind him, Sam tugs his boots off, eyes travelling around in the way of someone in an unfamiliar location. It’s quiet and tranquil inside, warm with weak end-of-winter sunlight streaming in through large windows. Castiel is likely upstairs, maybe taking a much needed nap. The thought brings a small fond smile.

Then his wandering gaze catches movement. Sam freezes. He’s only distantly aware of his wide eyes and open mouth as he watches the end of a black tail disappear around a corner into the living room. And not just any tail; it’s thin in a distinctly feline shape, but far too large to belong to any sort of pet cat.

Despite the greater part of his mind warning him of possible danger, Sam’s curiosity wins and he hesitantly pads forward, heart picking up speed in his chest. Mostly hidden behind a wall, he pokes his head out enough to see.

On the floor — a few paces away from Sam — is a massive shadow with a long tail and four giant dinner plate paws, lying contentedly in a wide golden pool of sunlight. Sam is a rightfully nervous witness to one of the _topmost peak of the food chain_ predators just casually yawning, displaying long _sharp_ teeth and a rough pink tongue.

Maybe he’s made a small sound. Maybe it’s his scent, easily noticeable because of proximity. But the cat’s ears perk up, nose twitching, and it twists to roll half upright, hind legs still comfortably splayed out on the floor.

Out of the deep midnight of dark _dark_ fur blinks a pair of glittering cornflower blue eyes, nearly glowing with how bright and saturated the colour is.

\---

Dean saunters into the house with two reusable bags of groceries, fumbling around to nudge the front door locked with a knuckle. He makes a beeline for the kitchen after kicking his boots off, setting the bags on the granite island before unpacking them and placing everything in their rightful places — vegetables and eggs and beer in the fridge, packaged snacks in the tall cupboards, box of pie on the counter.

Mission accomplished, Dean wanders toward the living room.

“Sam?”

No response.

The room is empty, sofas devoid of anything beyond their own cushions and a few plush fleece blankets. Dean is giving the space one more half hearted glance, already turning in preparation to search the rest of the house, when he spots a socked foot sticking out from behind the largest sofa.

Under Dean’s wary gaze, it remains still, uncharacteristically so for his rather fidgety little brother. Dread coils thick and heavy in Dean’s stomach, a poisonous snake suddenly occupying an unavoidably significant amount of space. He can’t stop himself from calling out once again as he inches closer, voice hushed with his apprehension.

“...Sammy?”

Sam groans, soft and low. Dean practically _throws_ himself over the sofa in his haste to reach the other side.

Without his permission, an affectionate huff tears itself from Dean’s lungs. His giant little brother is sloppily sprawled on the floor, long limbs loosely curved close to his body, blinking upward sleepily through his eyelashes. Sam’s hair glows a rich chocolate brown in the sunlight, contrasted and made brighter by smooth gleaming onyx beneath his shoulders.

“Dean…?”

“Yeah.” Dean folds himself down onto his toes, tilting his head to one side. “What’re you doing on the floor—”

A deep grumbling growl interrupts.

“You woke ‘im up,” Sam mumbles, smiling lazily when a black tail twines halfway around his thigh, the very end flicking from side to side.

Dean laughs, reaching out to scratch his apologies behind soft rounded ears. “Didn’t mean to, I swear, Cas. Guess now’s the time to tell you I got more of that good beef to make burgers with, yeah?”

Narrowed eyes blink slowly, warm glow of the sun reflected in deep endless blue. Abruptly, Castiel jerks his head up toward Dean’s hand; Sam yelps in alarm, bolting upright. Dean doesn’t flinch, doesn’t so much as move a muscle.

Castiel butts his head against the inside of Dean’s wrist, eyes slipping shut in contentment. Grinning widely, Dean brings both his hands up to drag his wrists across and under Castiel’s cheeks, fingers playfully ruffling the fur at the back of Castiel’s neck.

“What’s with that face?” Dean raises an eyebrow at Sam, expression curious.

“I, uh— Thought…”

“You would never hurt me,” Dean turns back to tease, cradling Castiel’s face between his hands. “No, you wouldn’t.”

Castiel rises up on his front paws to touch his nose to Dean’s.

\---

“Y’know, you do have to shift back sometime— ‘n help me with dinner.”

Castiel hops gracefully off the sofa to land in the nest of blankets and cushions on the floor, squeezing in between Sam and Dean, who had been seated shoulder to shoulder watching television. His tail slaps Sam in the face when he flops down onto his stomach to place his head on one of Dean’s thighs and push a paw against the other, kneading gently.

“Nice try, bein’ cute isn’t gonna—”

“Worth a shot,” Castiel murmured, turning onto his back and smiling sweetly up at Dean.

“Dork,” Dean sighs fondly, leaning down to brush their lips together. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Castiel’s smile grows brighter, wider. “Of course.” He craned his neck to reach Dean’s mouth again. “And I’ll always want to.”

Dean purrs a happy sound with a hint of amazed disbelief, curling a hand into Castiel’s hair to kiss him harder. When he runs his tongue over the seam of Castiel’s lips, Castiel immediately allows his mouth to fall open, soft and warm and pliant.

“Whoa—” Sam coughs, clearing his throat. “Guys, I’m still here.”

Jumping almost guiltily, they reluctantly separate, fingers trailing lingering touches across cheeks. Dean sinks his teeth into his bottom lip, playing coy, smug with something near satisfaction when Castiel’s eyes hungrily track the movement.

“Sam.” Castiel sits up — cheeks flushed a light pink and dark hair a ruffled mess — to pull Sam into a hug. “Apologies if I’d startled you earlier.”

Sam buries his face in the crook of Castiel’s neck, smiling. “It’s okay.”

Dean slips his arms in between to wrap them around Castiel from behind, pressing a lingering kiss to the base of Castiel’s neck. Languid and careless, Castiel tips his head back to lean on Dean’s shoulder.

Rolling his eyes with a smirk, Sam sits back. “It’s just a hug; no need to get so possessive, Dean.”

“I’m not _possessive,_ I’m territorial,” Dean mutters. “Speaking of, is yours going to show up?”

“Dean,” Sam grumbles, “when are you going to stop being so hostile to Gabriel?”

Castiel chuckles. “Your brother is the most stubborn person anyone will ever know.” He nudges one of Dean’s hands open to weave their fingers together, squeezing when Dean growls quietly. “But Gabe’s grown on you, hasn’t he?”

Dean doesn’t reply. He stares silently at Castiel’s thumb, stroking idly back and forth over the bump of Dean’s knuckle.

The room is still for a long minute. Tiny dust particles dance in brilliant beams of sunlight, television mumbling in the background.

Then an inhale has Dean tensing at Castiel’s back, suddenly alert and somewhat wary. Castiel has half a moment to be confused, before he hears light footsteps moving up the driveway.

“I’ll let him in?”

Sam frowns. “Let— What?”

“I got it,” Dean says, gruff. He doesn’t leave until after he’s draped a blanket over Castiel’s shoulders, spending an extra unnecessary second smoothing down the fabric.

Bewildered, Sam watches Dean leave the room.

“Deano! A sight for sore eyes, as always!”

“Yeah, yeah. Get in here.”

**Author's Note:**

> last writing thing of the year!
> 
> of course it has to be domestic fluff and black leopard Cas :)) (maybe I should make a series...)
> 
> Happy New Year!! I hope everyone has a wonderful 2020


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